TeamViewer 10 marks the tenth anniversary of one of the world’s most popular providers of remote control and online meeting software. In an interview for the corporate blog, Kornelius Brunner, Head of Product Management, puts the history of the company in perspective.
Ten years of TeamViewer, Kornelius. What does that mean to you personally?
I still can’t believe it’s been ten years. This journey has been so busy that it seems like just yesterday that it began. (smiles pensively) But then again, things have changed so much that there is plenty of evidence for the ten years we have so far invested into TeamViewer.
Are you saying TeamViewer has taken its toll?
No, not at all, but if you look at all the things that have happened within this organization, you sometimes have to take a step back and marvel in awe: We started out in the basement of another organization with a pure remote control solution. We added a variety of features and functionalities over a comparatively short time to answer the market’s needs, and the market took notice. Today we are a truly global company with more than 200 million installations worldwide.
That almost sounds like you were somewhat unprepared for the success of TeamViewer?
Unprepared? No, I would describe it as being prudent. You don’t want to put the cart before the horse. What I can say, though, is this: From day one, TeamViewer has been the result of identifying and meeting our clients’ and the market’s needs. That continues to be the foundation of our success and that has led worldwide to trust in our secure software.
Kornelius, if you are looking at the entire feature history of TeamViewer, what has been the trend that sticks out most?
The trend towards mobility – without a doubt. When we started out with TeamViewer, mobility was nowhere near where it is today. However, we picked up on that trend right away, and it continues to reflect it in our product strategy. We want to cover every major mobile platform. And while mobility per se did not come as a surprise, it goes to show you that you have to think outside the box and be able to answer flexibly to the market’s needs.
Speaking about thinking outside the box. Is that why TeamViewer added new products to its portfolio?
No. If anything, this is a pretty standard approach. We are constantly in touch with our clients to find out whether they have issues. Issues they are unhappy with and need solutions for – and that includes other areas. Even though this may sound somewhat repetitive here, it is primarily what our clients say they need. So when we looked into the requests and felt we had smart solutions we could offer, we moved forward with it. Certainly there is also a strategic business view to all this, and the decision to add other products was one that was made fairly independently of all that. The objective was quite simple, though: additional pillars provide more stability for every building. It is as easy as that.
What are the challenges you expect?
TeamViewer is no longer just a one product company. That inevitably results in more responsibilities and demands more of everyone in the company. However, it also provides opportunities and prospects. We will have to be keen on approaching matters with the same professionalism that has won us the trust of hundreds of millions of users worldwide. We cannot just sit back and say “it’s all good. We’re TeamViewer”. We have to live up to that claim.
Are you optimistic about the future of TeamViewer?
If that wasn’t the case you wouldn’t be talking to me. Yet what I can emphasize is that, while a lot of things have changed, three basic principles continue to be the backbone of our success: A keen eye on our users, the technological expertise to answer to it, and the sound business acumen to manage the challenges ahead of us. So yes, I am very optimistic.
Thank you very much for the interview.
Are you interested in learning more about the TeamViewer history?
Then have a look at our new infographic showing the TeamViewer journey from version 1 to version 10:
Learn more about the new features in TeamViewer 10 and download the latest version here!
